Mount Merapi spews volcanic smoke in Yogyakarta, central Java, Indonesia, Monday, Oct. 25, 2010. Indonesia s most volatile volcano has been put at a state of high alert since early Monday prompting local government officials to call the evacuation of thousands of villagers living nearby the slope of Mount Merapi. – AP Photo
JAKARTA: A powerful earthquake hit off western Indonesia late Monday, briefly triggering a tsunami warning that sent thousands of panicked residents fleeing to high ground. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
The 7.7-magnitude temblor struck at a depth of 13 miles (20 kilometers) off Sumatra island, said the US Geological Survey.